Tanzania, located on the eastern coast of Africa, struggles with high rates of poverty. About 25.2 million Tanzanians lived in extreme poverty in 2022, based on the threshold of $1.90 a day. While the poverty rate has declined in the last few decades, the absolute number of Tanzanians living in extreme poverty has remained stagnant. A major reason for this is rapid population growth in Tanzania, which increases the number of people born into poverty. Tanzania has one of the highest fertility rates in the world, at 4.5 births per woman.

Population Growth in Tanzania and Its Effects on Poverty

According to the National Library of Medicine, rapid population growth tends to be more common in developing countries such as Tanzania due to higher unplanned pregnancy rates, social structure and economic prosperity levels. From 2015 to 2019, 46% of pregnancies in Tanzania were unintended. The nation also faces a high teen pregnancy rate. As of 2021, about one in four girls had become pregnant or given birth by age 18.

The Guardian, in an article on population growth in Tanzania, cites the low use of contraceptives as a major contributing factor. Poor sex education and misinformation about the effects of birth control reinforce these numbers. A high unplanned pregnancy rate not only increases the nation’s overall birth rate but also reduces career options for the women involved, limiting their ability to participate in the economy. Many women are unable to work full time given the added responsibility of child care. For teenage girls, pregnancies reduce their net years of employment considerably. This is an obstacle to overcoming poverty not just for women themselves but also for Tanzania as a whole.

Effect of Population Growth in Tanzania

According to the United Nations (U.N.), the current balance between economic and population growth is not working in Tanzania’s favor. While the nation’s economy has grown steadily in recent years, its agriculture sector still has untapped potential. As of February 2024, it contributes one-third to the gross domestic product (GDP) and employs two-thirds of Tanzania’s population.

A fertility rate as high as 4.5, however, which more than doubles the replacement rate of 2.1–2.3 births per woman, can put significant pressure on these resources. Suppose Tanzania does not realize the full potential of its agricultural sector. In that case, high population growth may push more and more people into poverty.

Reconciling Economic Growth with Population Growth

Addressing the intertwined problem of poverty and population growth in Tanzania requires two major approaches. The first is to improve sex education, increase the use of contraceptives and reduce Tanzania’s unplanned pregnancy rate. The second is to maximize economic growth, specifically to tap into the potential of Tanzania’s sizable agricultural sector to provide for a growing population.

SolidarMed focuses on the first approach. This nonprofit organization, concentrated on improving health throughout Africa, works specifically in Tanzania to train health workers in sexual health counseling and host awareness campaigns to promote sexual education. In March 2024, SolidarMed trained six young men and women to counsel adolescents. Furthermore, they examined flaws in the nation’s current sexual education system.

Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth and Women Initiative for Agribusiness (BBT-YIA) focuses on the second approach. An initiative championed by Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture Hussein Bashe, this organization aims to increase youth participation in the agricultural sector. The initiative aims to boost productivity and enhance sustainable food systems. Youth (aged 15–35) account for roughly 56% of Tanzania’s active labor force. By 2030, BBT-YIA hopes to increase youth employment by 1.5 million people and grow the agricultural sector by 10%. As an 8-year plan, it also aims to set up at least one youth-led agribusiness in each of the nation’s 12,000 villages.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has also recently introduced a program to reduce poverty and malnutrition in Tanzania by strengthening its agricultural sector. It will work with the Tanzanian government, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and other organizations to develop the industry in four key ways. These include boosting productivity and competitiveness through targeted investments and private sector engagement, improving nutrition through the Feed the Future program, building long-term sustainability and enhancing the sector’s business environment.

Looking Ahead

By increasing the productivity of the agricultural sector and improving sexual education for its population, Tanzania may enhance its economic growth. With the help of USAID, SolidarMed and BBT-YIA, the country may be able to provide for its rapidly growing population.

– Lana Swindle

Lana is based in Princeton, NJ, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr